Since making his senior debut in 2008, Pedro has made more than 750 appearances for club and country and won just about everything there is to win.
A world and European champion with Spain, he was also part of Barcelona’s golden era, claiming five La Liga titles and three Champions League, before adding a Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League to his medal collection following his 2015 move to Chelsea.
His next stop in 2020 was Italy when he signed with Roma, where he played under Paulo Fonseca for a season, before Jose Mourinho arrived in the capital and Pedro soon found himself surplus to requirements under the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss.
Pedro on his Roma exit and Mournho split
“It was inexplicable,” Pedro recalls to FourFourTwo. “Despite knowing each other well, I couldn’t speak with him – he shielded himself by saying it was a club decision.
“After I left, we crossed paths in a few matches, but never addressed the issue. Maybe one day we’ll have the chance to sit down, and he can truly explain what happened.
“I only had contact with the sporting director. The president also refused to speak with me. It was tough because I was left out of the team, training alone.
“But I was fortunate to join Lazio, where they welcomed me with open arms.”
That move to Roma’s bitter rivals Lazio, was one of the more eyebrow-raising transfers of recent times, as he became the first player to move directly between the two clubs since goalkeeper Astutillo Malgioglio way back in 1985.
So what has it been like to cross the divide?
“At first, it wasn’t an easy decision due to everything surrounding it, but Roma pushed me towards it,” the 37-year-old admits. “Thanks to that, I’ve had the opportunity to experience wonderful things at Lazio.
“From the first moment, I received a lot of love from the fans, management and players. I’ve repaid that with hard work on the field.
“My big dream is to win a title here.”
